Sandhill View Academy provided the venue as Sunderland’s and York St John’s Hockey teams battled it out in the 2018 Clash of the Minsters.

Both sides were up against it against higher division opponents but fought hard with mixed success.

Sunderland’s Men’s side claimed an impressive victory, while the women succumbed to a heavy defeat.

Men’s: Sunderland 3-2 York St John

Sunderland pulled off a shock as they held out to win against 10-man York St John.

York won 11-0 in last year’s meeting and were expected to triumph again this time out.

The game looked to be following the previous meeting when York St John went ahead after just three minutes, but an injury in the 10th minute, coupled with not having any substitutes available, meant York were forced to play an hour with a man light.

Despite being behind, Sunderland had been on top leading up to the injury and the hosts got a deserved equaliser in the 18th minute.

But it was York St John who led at halftime, despite being a man light. The visitors restored their lead in the 25th minute and held out until half time.

Sunderland came flying out of the blocks in the second half, equalising in the 38th minute before taking the lead in the 41st.

Both teams had chances in the remaining half hour, but neither managed to alter the score.

Goals;

Sunderland: (18), (38), (41)

York St John: (3), (25)

Women’s: Sunderland 0-11 York St John

Sunderland were under the cosh for large periods as they fell to a heavy defeat against York St John.

The visitors took the lead in the sixth minute and added four more in a first half where Sunderland struggled to get the ball out of their own half.

Sunderland looked improved in the second half, and it took 15 minutes before York St John added their sixth.

But when it came Sunderland’s heads looked to drop and York went on to score another five in the final 20 minutes of the game.